Reading a painting and movement from left to right

[Karin Wells]

I don't think that reading a painting from left to right has much to do with which way the subject faces. Rather it is the direction of the single source of light that matters here. To be consistent with reading left to right and top to bottom, the light needs to originate from the upper left.

Also, as far as "other cultures" go, I heard an interesting show on National Public Radio here in New Hampshire last week. A scientist who studdied remote tribes in Africa - that had no prior contact with any western culture - and found that they were completely unable to intrepret a two dimensional picture (photograph). He gave an example of putting a man's sandals upon a rock. He photographed them and immediately showed the man the picture and asked him what was in the picture. The man had no clue and guessed unrelated things like water, a rhino, a tree, etc. He tested and retested many people with photographs of familiar people, places and objects and got the same result. However, with intensive training, a few were gradually became able to identify common objects.

I was surprised at how "culture" determines the way we see - even though it is obvious how unfamiliar foods and music that do not come "from our culture" oftentimes affect us.

I sort of wonder if any real appreciation of what is "beautiful" is simply an acquired taste based on our exposure...

[Timothy C. Tyler]

I really like your writing and your points are well made. I do not have such a wide ranging background from which to reply.

I'll have to think about what you say for a while and consider a reply. The French Impressionist had a love for Japanese art and it really had an influence upon that movement and thus on many of us to follow. This is drifting a bit off subject though; hum......

[Timothy C. Tyler]

My point is about the movement of light, not the sitters gaze or angle of view etc...just light flow. Someone earlier on critiques was nice enough and smart enough to flip the painting being crit'd and I felt (and I think the artist) felt more comfortable with the flip. This, I recall, was about more than light flow but the "fix" seemed impressive for whatever reason.

[Mike McCarty]

I never considered the issue of reading from one direction or another. Here is one of my paintings which would seem to read from right to left?

http://forum.portraitartist.com/imag...es/mccarty.jpg

[Chris Saper]

In the course of doing research on this topic, I spoke with an opthalmologist, who firmly believes that the "read" occurs only after an initial gestalt, where the entire image is taken in. His conviction results from how he sees the evolutionary purpose of vision, which is to first assess "fight" or "flight". He thinks that Georgia O'Keefe's painting are the best example supporting his "overall" view.

Chris

[Chris Saper]

Dear Mike,

Yes, I see this is as a successful right-to-left read..not only is the light source coming from the right, the arm on the right provides a very direct entryway into the painting, and the negative spacre on the right is larger than that on the left. Nice job!

Chris

[Timothy C. Tyler]

Mike, I like the same things as Chris and agree but the point is really about our instincts to read artwork like a printed page and the pre-existing "habit" many of us have. Even with all that's pleasing and right with your work I'd like it more in reverse. Some people out there can flip images (on-line) and I really think this work would be stronger still- flipped. In the studio I do it naturally with a mirror.

We examine paintings in art books all the time that change greatly when you view them "in Mirror"...if we do not have pre-existing bias then they should not appear so very different. They should be equally nice either way. But there is always a best, which to me suggests a bias. Look at "El Jaleo" or the "Boit Daughters" in reverse. This not about what we're familiar with either. It works on pieces seen for the first time.